President says he’ll “work something out” with NYC’s incoming socialist mayor, marking potential detente after campaign hostilities
Unexpected Olive Branch Extended
President Donald Trump indicated Sunday evening that he plans to meet with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, signaling a potential detente between two political figures who spent months casting each other as adversaries. Speaking to reporters at Palm Beach International Airport, Trump stated that Mamdani “would like to meet with us and we’ll work something out.”
The announcement comes as a surprise to many political observers, given Trump’s months-long campaign against Mamdani’s candidacy. Throughout the mayoral race, Trump repeatedly labeled the democratic socialist a “communist” and “total nutjob,” while threatening to deport Mamdani–who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018–and to withhold federal funding from New York City.
From Campaign Rhetoric to Pragmatic Governance
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Trump was indeed referring to Mamdani and confirmed no date has been set for the meeting. “We want to see everything work out well for New York,” Trump told reporters, adopting a conciliatory tone markedly different from his campaign rhetoric.
According to Newsweek, Mamdani has expressed interest in the meeting, stating in a November 11 interview with NBC New York that he “will be reaching out to the White House as we prepare to actually take office because this is a relationship that will be critical to the success of the city.”
The 34-year-old mayor-elect rose from relative obscurity as a state assemblymember to become a social media star and symbol of resistance against Trump during his mayoral campaign. He appealed to a broad cross-section of New Yorkers and defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly 9 percentage points in an election that saw the city’s highest voter turnout since 1969.
Security Clearance Looms as First Major Test
Before taking office on January 1, Mamdani must obtain top-level security clearance from the federal government–a process that could serve as an early test of the Trump-Mamdani relationship. As Politico reports, the clearance allows the mayor to receive intelligence briefings on threats to the nation’s largest city.
Trump has previously used security clearances as “a tool of retribution” against political opponents, revoking them from New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and even former officials like Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
John Sandweg, former acting general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security, told Politico that denying Mamdani’s clearance “would be very difficult for the mayor of New York City” and would be “unusual and more impactful than any of the other revocations that the administration has done.”
Strategic Outreach to Democratic Governors
As Axios revealed, Mamdani has been strategizing with several Democratic governors about how to approach the Trump administration. He has spoken with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro–all potential 2028 presidential candidates representing states with major cities targeted by Trump for immigration enforcement.
These conversations demonstrate Mamdani’s recognition that building a coalition of resistance will be essential to protecting New Yorkers from federal overreach while maintaining the working relationships necessary for the city’s success.
Balancing Opposition with Cooperation
In his election night victory speech, Mamdani declared that New York would show the nation “how to defeat” Trump. Yet the following day, he acknowledged the importance of working with anyone, including the president, if it could benefit New Yorkers. This balancing act reflects the complex reality facing a progressive mayor in an era of conservative federal governance.
The relationship between New York City and the federal government affects millions of residents, from funding for essential services to cooperation on public safety matters. Mamdani has stated he will be “proactive” in attempts to dissuade the administration from sending ICE agents and National Guard troops into New York, though how successful those efforts will be remains uncertain.
Historical Context and Future Implications
The mayor-federal government relationship has historically been contentious during periods of partisan divide. Previous New York mayors, including Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, navigated complex relationships with presidents of opposing parties with varying degrees of success.
Mamdani’s approach appears to blend principled opposition with practical recognition of political realities. As he told NBC, “I’ll say that I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone who calls the city home and that wherever there is a possibility for working together towards that end, I’m ready. And if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.”
The upcoming meeting, whenever it occurs, will set the tone for a relationship that could define Mamdani’s mayoralty and potentially influence national Democratic politics heading into the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election.
Mamdami: His focus on community safety emphasizes prevention over punishment.
Zohran Mamdani has the vibe of a leader who knows exactly where every dollar goes and why.
Mamdami: His focus on community involvement reimagines what public participation looks like.
Zohran Mamdani has the vibe of a guy who drinks water and minds his business.
His follow-through is about as reliable as deli WiFi.
His follow-through is always coming soon.